SMOOTH WATERS
"Well, I declare, if you ain't just the same," said Miss Jinny, as
Patricia piloted her through the crowds to the cab-stand.
Elinor, taking Judith with her, had said a hasty farewell and hurried
off to the Academy for her criticism in the night life, with promises
to return as soon as possible.
Miss Jinny, in her fine, last-season's dress, with the usual up-to-date
hat on her scanty drab hair, and the twinkle of amusement at the
continuous entertainment that life afforded her, was looking so well
that Patricia voiced her wonder that she should have come to town for
doctoring, as her letter had intimated.
Miss Jinny chuckled huskily. "Don't you worry about that," she said,
mysteriously. "It ain't my health. It's something I didn't want to
write on paper," and she tapped her upper lip suggestively.
Patricia, noting the downy line that penciled the corners of her firm
mouth, hesitated to put an inquiry that could be delicate enough to
indicate the faint moustache without hurting Miss Jinny's feelings.
"Uppers!" said Miss Jinny, wholly unconscious of Patricia's
perturbation. "Came in on the sly last week to have a new set made.
Got measured for 'em, and am going to get them day after tomorrow.
Thought I'd combine business with pleasure and make a visit while they
were being filed to fit. I don't reckon that dentist'll hit them off
first shot. They mostly never do, you know."
"I hope he doesn't," said Patricia, warmly. "For then you'll have to
stay longer with us. And we're going to have _such_ a good time!"
In the taxicab she unfolded the plans for the week that Miss Jinny had
promised them, dwelling on each detail with all the ardor of her
enthusiastic nature.
"Lands alive!" cried Miss Jinny, enjoying herself hugely in prospect.
"I haven't the duds to do credit to such doings. Why, I'm all out of
style, and you know it, Louise Patricia Kendall! You'll have me
running into all sorts of extravagance, dyking out for your tea parties
and such like fandangos."
The taxi stopped with a bump at the curb and Patricia sprang out, paid
the man and joined Miss Jinny on the sidewalk before the door had
opened to admit the little worn trunk that the driver shouldered with
such ease.
"Why, it's a mansion for sure!" exclaimed Miss Jinny, gazing with
approval at the fine front of the tall, well-kept, brown-stone house.
"I was so afraid you girls might be poked away in some stuffy street
with never a tree or bit of sky to hearten you, but that park's most
equal to the real country."
"It was the park that brought us here," said Patricia, leading the way
upstairs to the spacious front room where Miss Jinny was to be
domiciled. "And we're so glad we came. Mrs. Hudson is so kind to us
that we don't feel like strangers at all. Even Ju adores her, and you
know how hard she is to suit."
"Who's talking about me?" demanded Judith's high treble, and they
turned to see her in the doorway, silhouetted against the brilliantly
lighted hall.
"Mercy, Judy, where did you drop from?" asked Patricia, startled. "I
didn't expect you for an hour. Is Elinor home, too?"
Judith explained that although she had been so eager for a visit to the
celebrated night life, she had tired of the loneliness of work hours,
and had run off home, leaving Elinor still expecting her criticism.
"Besides, I wanted to see Miss Jinny," said Judith, affectionately
twining her arms about Miss Jinny's waist. "I haven't seen her for a
whole month, you know."
Much to Patricia's surprise, Miss Jinny seemed not at all unused to the
reticent Judith's caresses, but stooped and kissed her on her white
forehead, rumpling her pale hair with kindly fingers.
"I reckon you're wanting to hear all about mama, and the visit you're
going to make us," she said, wisely. "I'll get my old trunk here
unstrapped, and we'll talk while I lay out my duds in those nice wide
bureau drawers. You'll laugh, I guess, when you see what I've brought
you each, but I want you to promise that if you don't like them, you'll
say so, and I'll hunt up something that pleases you better."
"Oh, we'll be sure to _love_ them, if they come from dear old Rockham
and _you_!" cried Patricia, gathering an armful of hangers from the
deep closet for Miss Jinny's use. "I'm perfectly crazy to see them,
aren't you, Judy? I do hope Elinor doesn't stay too late tonight. You
don't mind waiting for her, do you, Miss Jinny? It'll be so much more
fun when we're all together."
"Bless your heart, no indeedy!" replied Miss Jinny emphatically. "I'd
rather keep them a week than to have you slight Elinor. We'll have
time to take the edge off our tongues, anyhow, before she gets here,
and get more settled down, I hope. I haven't felt so flighty in a blue
moon, and it's all your fault, Patricia Louise Kendall, with your tales
about theaters and parties and the like! We'll have to put a muzzle on
her, won't we, Judith?--like poor old Nero after he nipped Georgie
Smith when Georgie tried to make him walk the tight rope."
"Oh, do tell me about it," said Judith eagerly, settling down on a low
stool beside the trunk. "Your stories are always so nice and nippy."
Miss Jinny laughed, as she shook out a creased skirt, and laid it
carefully in the long lower drawer.
"I reckon most of the nippiness in this tale is Nero's work--not mine,"
she said, smoothing the long folds of gray lansdown into shape with
absent fingers. "You see, it was this way. Old Miss Fell, who lives
in that big red brick house----"
"Yes, I know," said Judith, expectantly, but Miss Jinny had whisked to
her feet and whirled about towards the door.
"I saw you in the looking glass!" she cried gleefully. "You needn't
think you can surprise us, young lady!"
She had Elinor in her arms, to everyone's great amazement, and Elinor,
far from being reluctant, was as responsive as though Miss Jinny were
her own mother.
"Oh, you're just in time!" she cried, her cheeks flushed and her eyes
shining with a great light of happiness. "You were Aunt Louise's best
friend here, and you'll know just how she'd feel. I got my criticism!"
She paused, choking with emotion. "He came up behind me, and he stood
there so long I was afraid to go on working; and when I stopped, he
spoke out loud, twisting his moustache and popping off his eye-glasses."
"What did he say?" burst out Patricia, unable to bear the suspense.
"Don't beat around the bush so long, for pity's sake, Norn!"
"He spoke so loud I was ashamed," went on Elinor. "He sort of bawled
it out. '_Remarkable_ talent, madame, remarkable talent.' And
everybody turned around and looked at me till I felt like sinking
through the floor."
"How perfectly heavenly!" exclaimed Patricia, with rapture. "I wish
I'd been there to hear it."
"Your Aunt Louise will rejoice to see this day," said Miss Jinny
solemnly. "For I'm sure she sees it, wherever she is, and I know just
how her dark proud eyes would shine. She always got regularly lighted
up when she was real pleased--like you look now, child."
"Hannah Ann will be awfully proud, too," said Judith, thoughtfully.
"She's regularly wrapped up in Elinor, because she's so much like Aunt
Louise, she says."
Elinor looked her surprise. "Why, I didn't know Hannah Ann liked me
specially," she protested. "I thought Miss Pat was her favorite."
"She used to be," was Judith's frank reply. "But since you've become
an artist, like Aunt Louise, she fairly _adores_ you!"
The idea of Hannah Ann in any such state of loving frenzy was
irresistible, and they all pealed out their appreciation of Judith's
picture of the grim elderly housekeeper of Greycroft.
"You may laugh, but it's true, all the same," said Judith decisively.
"And I'll prove it to you all before long--see if I don't."
The soft chimes of the dinner gong began their melodious call before
anyone could answer, and in the mad scramble to make themselves
presentable in the shortest possible time, Hannah Ann's enthusiasms
were forgotten.
That night, after Miss Jinny's trunk had finally been disposed of, and
all the gossip of Rockham village and outskirts had been thoroughly
aired, and Miss Jinny, tired from her strenuous day, had gone
thankfully to bed, Patricia and Elinor were talking over the day's
happenings as they brushed their hair in the seclusion of their own
room.
"Isn't it wonderful how Miss Jinny seems to fit in?" said Patricia,
brushing the shining ripples till they fairly radiated. "I was so
afraid that she might feel strange among such different sort of people,
but she didn't care a bit. She's going to be awfully popular, if she
keeps on. That nice old Mr. Spicer talked to her a lot at dessert, and
he's awfully exclusive, you know."
"He isn't any older than she is," Elinor replied indignantly. "He's
gray and pale from his illness. He was asking Miss Jinny about the air
at Rockham, and she praised it so that he was much impressed. We may
have him for a neighbor next summer."
"You don't mean?" began Patricia, incredulously.
"Of course, I don't mean as Miss Jinny's special property, you goose; I
was only thinking of him as a pleasant addition to the old ladies' card
parties and porch teas,--they need men so badly."
The idea lodged in Patricia's fertile brain was not so easily routed
out.
"Still, _in case_," she insinuated with a giggle. "I don't think it
would be such a bad sort of thing, do you, Norn?"
Elinor laid down her brush impressively.
"Patricia Kendall," she said, severely, "don't ever let me hear you
even _whisper_ such nonsense to yourself. Miss Jinny is too nice and
sensible to be made fun of in that way, and I won't have it. Remember,
once for all I won't have it!"
"All right," acquiesced Patricia, meekly. "I didn't mean to be silly.
I'm a lot fonder of her than you are, and I was only thinking what fun
it would be for her, don't you see?"
"I see that you are a feather-headed kitten," said Elinor, not at all
mollified. "Miss Jinny will do very well as she is without your
romantic nonsense to mortify her. I I'm ashamed of you, indeed I am,
Patricia. I thought you had more delicacy."
Patricia lifted her brows, perplexed and inquiring, and then dropped
them with a shrug that seemed to indicate that the matter no longer
interested her.
"What are _you_ going to do with that lovely old shawl she brought you,
Elinor?" she asked, tossing the end of her long braid over her shoulder
and yawning luxuriantly. "I'd like to make a party dress of that
heavenly silk cloak I got, but it seems like cutting up one's own
grandmother."
Elinor gave a start. "Well, I declare, if I didn't forget all about
it!" she exclaimed. "We were so excited with the presents and all,
that I never told you! It's going to be perfectly gorgeous. I know
you'll be crazy over it."
Patricia flung herself on her sister, overwhelming her in a flurry of
pink kimono and white arms. "Tell me!" she cried. "Tell me this
minute, you aggravating thing! You're getting to be a regular miser of
your news--you won't give up till it's dragged out of you. Speak, or
I'll have your life!"
Elinor held her close, laughing with enjoyment at her ardor.
"It isn't anything to kill for, Miss Pat," she rippled. "It's merely
the Academy ball that takes place next week----"
Patricia flung off the encircling arms, and was on her feet in an
instant.
"And we are going?" she demanded breathlessly. "Oh, say that we are
going, Elinor!"
"Of course we're going," said Elinor, evenly. "What else should we do?
And I want you to persuade Miss Jinny to stay over for it, Miss Pat."
"That will I!" cried Patricia, heartily. "We'll ship Judy to Mrs.
Shelly on an afternoon train, and make Miss Jinny feel it's her duty to
chaperone us among the wild and woolly artists. Oh, it will be
contemptibly easy! But," and her face fell in dismay, "what are we to
wear? We haven't any party clothes, you know."
Elinor rose, and going to her bag that was still dangling from the
chair back where she had flung it in her hurried preparation for
dinner, took out a cardcase, and drawing forth three square bits of
gray cardboard, handed them to Patricia.
"'An Arabian Nights Entertainment,'" read Patricia, mumbling in her
haste. "'No guests admitted unless in costume' . . . m-m-m-m . . .
'The Sultan Haroun-al-Raschid' . . . Oh, I see! We can rig up in
anything we choose,--so that it looks sort of Turkish. _Dee_-licious!
I know what to do with my rose-colored cloak right now!"
"My shawl will be stunning," rejoiced Elinor. "They've both come to us
in the very nick of time. With that old silk skirt of mine, and that
worn-out gold-beaded tunic of Aunt Louise's that we found in the closet
at Greycroft, we'll be simply dazzling. See if we're not, Patricia
Louise Kendall."
"I wonder what Miss Jinny will say to a costume?" Patricia said, her
bright face clouding with the thought.
"I believe she'll like it," declared Elinor, confidently. "She does so
love variety--and she has entered into everything already with such a
vim."
"Perhaps she's been hungering for what she calls fripperies," said
Patricia, hopefully. "She's so tremendously alive that she must need
some play, and if she's only willing, we'll see that she gets it, won't
we, Norn?"
"Find out in the morning how she feels about it," said Elinor,
switching off the light. "I'm pretty sure she'll want to go."
At the earliest permissible hour, Patricia slipped into her pink kimono
and slippers and sped softly to Miss Jinny's room, where she tapped
lightly, and was admitted at once by Miss Jinny, fully dressed and with
a little book in her hand.
Patricia opened her plan with great expedition, pouring out explanation
and entreaty in one excited rush, while Miss Jinny sat opposite her on
the side of the bed, her rather protruding pale blue eyes cocked
sidewise at her in the meditative way she had when deeply interested.
"So you see, we really _need_ you. And you wouldn't have to wear
anything very outlandish, you know," urged Patricia, ending up with her
strongest argument. "And I'm sure Judy would love to be with Mrs.
Shelly alone--they'd have so much more chance for talk together."
Miss Jinny said not a word for what seemed to Patricia a very long
minute; then she gave her deep chuckle and said decisively, "I'll go as
Sinbad the Sailor. I've a picture of him at home, and I know just how
he's dressed. He's so everlastingly muffled up about his shanks that I
used to think he was a lady when I was knee high to a grasshopper."
Patricia gave a gasp. "But he wore a turban and great whiskers!" she
said, impulsively. "How in the world could you stand that?"
Miss Jinny cocked her head knowingly. "Trust me," she replied,
laconically. "I had a cousin who was an actor and I saw him put on a
beautiful beard with spirit-gum and creped hair once. That was twenty
years ago, but I reckon they can still be had here in town."
Patricia hesitated. "But perhaps you'd rather have an easier
costume,--Aladdin's mother, or----"
Miss Jinny shook her head. "I always was bent on sea-life and I know a
lot about it. I can swap tales that'll make them believe I'm the only
genuine Sinbad, and I wouldn't miss the chance for a mint," she said
conclusively.
Patricia was forced to give in gracefully. "I know you'll be
splendid," she declared with rather forced heartiness. "I wish we were
as well fixed for our parts."
Miss Jinny, with a glance at the little book in her hand, gave a guilty
start and jumped up from the bed's edge with a horrified face.
"Do you know that it's Sunday morning, and I ought to be reading my two
chapters?" she demanded severely. "This town life is making me forget
my religion already, and as for you, you worldly-minded young sinner,
you ought to be ashamed of yourself, beguiling me with your heathenish
dance parties. Go along now and let me get my mind in order again."
"Oh, let me stay," urged Patricia. "You can read out loud, and I'll
slip in bed here to keep warm. What part are you reading now?"
"You'll hear," returned Miss Jinny, settling herself with a jerk.
Patricia curled up cozily while Miss Jinny read the two Sunday chapters
in a full, melodious voice, beginning with the ineffable words, "In my
Father's house are many mansions."
She laid down the little worn book just as the soft notes of the gong
floated up from the lower hall.
"Mercy on us!" she ejaculated, rising hurriedly. "I've gone and made
you late for breakfast!"
Patricia wriggled out from her warm nest reluctantly. "There's lots of
time," she assured Miss Jinny. "That's the first call. We've got half
an hour yet."
"I'll come over to your room in just twenty-five minutes to the dot,"
called Miss Jinny after her, as she gathered her draperies about her
and fled down the hall.
The day passed delightfully, with morning service at the famous Dr.
Arnold's stately church, a specially sociable dinner at home, and a
'bus ride through the crisp sunshine of the afternoon into the snowy
outskirts, with a cozy little tea in Miss Jinny's big front room, where
they could watch the twilight gather among the bare trees of the park
and the lamps sparkle out among the shadows. After supper Mr. Spicer
invited them in to see his collection of photographs which he had taken
in all parts of the civilized and barbarous world, before the long
illness, contracted in the swamps of West Africa, had put a stop to his
active, adventurous life as a collector for the University.
The girls enjoyed this surprising revelation of the quiet, elderly
gentleman's vigorous taste, but Miss Jinny fairly reveled in such close
contact with the life she so ardently envied, and it was nearly
midnight when they said good-night and hurried to their rooms, Miss
Jinny declaring that she'd never spent such a satisfactory day in her
life, and all three full of the ideas for their costumes which Mr.
Spicer's photographs had suggested to them.
The week that followed flew on winged feet. The costumes, simple
enough at first, grew in detail with every day and absorbed so much of
their spare time that Patricia frankly gave up any thought of work and
yielded herself to the enjoyment of Miss Jinny and the day's pleasure
without any effort at serious work.
"The best thing about you, Miss Pat," said Elinor, the day before the
party, "is that you know when to stop. I simply haven't accomplished a
thing the last two days, and yet I couldn't have the courage to shirk
the Academy. You stay away joyously, and get the full benefit."
"Why not?" returned Patricia, her fingers busy with Sinbad's girdle.
"You can't do two things at once, to do them well. I'm commonplace
enough to realize that, but you geniuses go on trying to tear
yourselves into little pieces, and then howl because you aren't making
masterpieces in every department."
"I know it," said Elinor, sinking wearily into a chair. "I've tried to
keep up with you all at home here, and do my work, too, but it hasn't
worked. I believe I'll stay home today and take a real holiday."
Patricia nodded. "You'll be in better shape to begin on the library
design next week," she said briskly. "I'm not going to start my study
till I feel just like it. Doesn't pay to push yourself too hard.
We've had a glorious week, with the concerts and theater and the
museums and all, and I've learned more than I should have at the
school. Just _living_ teaches you lots, if you'll learn, and I don't
believe in turning up my nose at things just because they aren't in a
roster."
Miss Jinny, who had been out scouring the town for the materials for
Sinbad's beard, broke in on them breathlessly.
"What do you think?" she cried, her eyes popping with pleasurable
excitement. "The Haldens are in town for over Sunday, and the girls
are going to the party tomorrow night! They've just landed yesterday
and were in the customer's hunting up suits when I ran across them."
"How splendid!" said Patricia, glowing. "To think that we'll meet them
here in town after all. Are they going to Rockham this summer?"
"Going right up on Monday," said Miss Jinny, taking off her things.
"The two older girls go back to college, but the rest of the family go
right home and stay there."
"I wonder what they are like, and if they'll like us," mused Elinor,
her gaze on the fire that was snapping on the hearth in Miss Jinny's
room where the sewing was being done.
"We'll find out tomorrow night," said Patricia, readily. "And now that
the costumes are all done, tomorrow night can't come too soon for me."
"I'm about ready, too," chimed in Miss Jinny. "I reckon they'll be
quite astonished when they meet with their old friend Sinbad the
Sailor."